Marceline and the Scream Queens are invited to perform a concert for an underwater kingdom, and while Aquaman and Mera aren’t planning on attending, the concert promises to be a splash! Major Spoilers puts on a snorkel and brings you a review of Adventure Time: Marceline and the Scream Queens #4!
ADVENTURE TIME: MARCELINE AND THE SCREAM QUEENS #4 (of 6)
Writer (Main Story): Meredith Gran
Artist: Meredith Gran
Colors: Lisa Moore
Letters: Steve Wands
Backup Story 1 Writers: Yuko Ota and Ananth Panagariya
Backup Story Artist: Yuko Ota
Backup Story 2 Writer/Artist: Kate Leth
Covers: Jab with Lisa Moore; Zack Sterling; Tally Nourigat with Mirka Andolfo; Faith Erin Hicks
Editor: Shannon Watters
Assistant Editor: Adam Staffaroni
Publisher: BOOM! Studios (kaboom! imprint)
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously, in Adventure Time: Marceline and the Scream Queens: Everyone’s favorite immortal vampire, Marceline, has gotten the band back together and even convinced prim and proper Princess Bubblegum to come on tour as the band’s manager!
THE TIDE’S OUT FOR THE FIRST STORY
There are three stories in this issue, each one slightly shorter than the last. The main story focuses on Marceline and Princess Bubblegum’s adventure, in which Marceline is really bummed out after dwelling on negative reviews and gossip magazines about the band. We do get a brief appearance by Finn and Jake, who have been ruling the Candy Kingdom while PB’s out of town, and we see that things haven’t gone too well in Her Majesty’s absence–the highlight of the story is when Finn mentions the new “Fungeon” which is where the old dungeon used to be and is exactly what it sounds like.
I didn’t much care for the main story; the characterization of Marceline felt off, though Bubblegum and Finn’s lines seemed to fit well with their TV selves. I know Marceline was supposed to feel a bit off due to her being bummed out, but it just didn’t make for an enjoyable story, since Marceline’s my favorite character in Adventure Time and I’m picking up this series to see her be awesome. Also, while the art in the main Adventure Time title seems like it could be right out of the TV show, the art for this issue felt very distant at times from its origins. Overall I give the first story 2 out of 5 stars.
[rating:2/5]PEPPERMINT BUTLER TO SAVE THE DAY
Thankfully the next story, a team-up between Peppermint Butler and Cinnamon Bun to simultaneously provide security and sell tickets for a Scream Queens concert, redeems the first story. This was cleverly written, with spot on characterizations, and featured an appearance by one of my other favorite Adventure Time characters, the Ice King. This is also a timely issue, as it came out the week before the debut of the episode that centers around Marceline and the Ice King and their shared past.
The art in this story is much better, and it has that balance of goofy humor and weirdly dark moments that makes Adventure Time the compelling product that it is. This story gets a very high 4.5 out of 5 stars.
[rating:4.5/5]LUMPY SPACE PRINCESS FINISHES STRONG
It’s been a recurring bit in the Adventure Time ongoing that Lumpy Space Princess shows up on the last page to ogle the next month’s guest artist, so I’ve grown accustomed to seeing LSP make brief cameos in these comics. This issue finishes off with a very brief LSP and Slime Princess story that centers on LSP’s collection of Scream Queens swag. It’s short, cute, and well-drawn, and helped leave me feeling good as I set down the title. It didn’t do anything spectacular, but that’s not what it was meant to do–the LSP short gets a solid 4 out of 5 stars.
[rating:4/5]THE BOTTOM LINE: A BALANCING ACT
While the first story was the weakest of the three parts, it was also the longest. For a book titled “Marceline and the Scream Queens” I really had hoped for more Marceline, and a more accurately drawn Marceline. Overall I give Adventure Time: Marceline and the Scream Queens #4 a rating of “alright” — 3.5 out of 5 stars, and I hope that now Marceline will be snapped out of her funk and ready to rock in issues 5 and 6.
[rating:overall]DID YOU READ THIS ISSUE? RATE IT!
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